Lightning Unveils All-New Strike Model Range

The makers of the LS218 have gone back to the drawing board to develop a line of more affordable, but still high-performance fully electric motorcycles.

Back in January Lightning Motorcycles began teasing what was touted as a new, more affordable fully electric model. Promos and teasers came and went, and after almost three-months of waiting, the California-based company has finally pulled the cover off of the all-new Strike, and the best part is, we're getting three of 'em.

The LS218’s Little Sibling

As far as appearance is concerned, the Strike undeniably takes more than a few design cues from its big, most exorbitant sibling, the LS218. Fortunately the 218 is a pretty gorgeous machine, and the Strike hasn’t fallen too far from the tree so to speak. The Strike does have a slightly less sharp, more everyday-use-type-look, plus the company claims the bodywork gives it the lowest drag coefficient of any motorcycle on the market today — a feat that undoubtedly helped to bolster highway range by a decent margin.

The Three Strike Models

The Strike is being offered in a trio of different variants; the “Standard”, the “Mid-Range”, and the “Carbon Edition”. The base model features a 10kWh battery and a 70/100 mile highway/city range, while the mid-tier sports a 15kWh battery and a 105/150 highway/city miles, and finally the top-spec gets a 20kWh battery and up to a 200-mile range — a number the company had been promoting since January.

Charging & Power

A liquid-cooled AC induction motor powers each bike, and as far as power is concerned, all three models boast some pretty impressive numbers. The base and mid-range models both make a claimed 90hp and whopping 180ft-lbs of torque (on tap at all times!). The Carbon-spec gets an additional 30 horses — bringing peak output to 120hp — though its torque output remains at 180ft-lbs, which again, is nothing to scoff at.

The two lower tiered models both come standard with 3.3kW chargers, though for $1,500 the unit can be upgraded to a 6.6kW system. Said chargers are compatible with Level 1 and 2 chargers, though another $1,500 — on top of the 6.6kW upgrade — gets you Level 3 Fast Charging. It’s also important to note that the primo, Carbon Edition version comes from the factory with the $3K charging upgrades. Below are the company’s reported charge times…

• Level 1 – Overnight charge: Plug into any 110v household outlet and wake up everyday to a full charge
• Level 2 – 2-3 hours: Charge on-the-go with access to network of 50,000+ J1772 public charging stations across the country
• Level 3 – 35 minutes: DC fast charge 100+ miles of riding range in just 20 minutes.

Other Specs and Features

While even the base model is said to be a particularly sharp sport bike, Lightning is offering a supplementary Performance Package that comes with Brembo braking hardware, Ohlins suspenders, and a trick AIM Strada (street) display — though the upgrade comes standard on the Carbon Edition. The base-model tips the scales at 455lbs, while the next level weighs in at 465lbs, and the Carbon Edition (despite being well, a carbon edition, with full carbon bodywork) clocks in at 485lbs.

The base model reportredly offers a top-speed of 135mph, while the Carbon-spec is good for a claimed 150mph. Lastly, and while there’s no mention of it in the company’s press release or on its website, it appears several existing aftermarket outfits are providing parts for the new Strike Range, such as Zero Gravity offering up windscreens, and Corbin seemingly being responsible for the seats.

Pricing and Delivery

Unlike the $40,000 LS218, Lightning’s new model range was purposefully designed and engineered to be sold at a more affordable price point, and to that extent the company has done pretty well for itself. The base model, “The Standard” retails for $12,998, the “Mid-Range” has an MSRP of $16,998, and the uber-trick “Carbon Edition” will sell for $19,998. Lightning says deliveries — which will start with the Carbon Edition first — are slated to begin in July of 2019. For more info, or to reserve your very own Strike, you can checkout the firm’s website.